Memory of Snow
by Chinnie Ai
Summary: "The snow falling nonstop, borrowing its bright light, maybe I could find the many memories of you?" / HaruTaka, one-shot


**Memory of Snow:** _"The snow falling nonstop, borrowing its bright light, maybe I could find the many memories of you?"_

_Genre_: Hurt/Comfort/Romance  
_Rating:_ K+  
_Characters:_ Takane, Haruka  
_Notes:_ This is an AU where the Mekakushi Dan didn't have any powers, but are best friends. Also, Kido, Seto and Kano aren't siblings in this world. This is one of those AUs that won't effect the story a lot though. Also, this is a memory of snow songfic. memory of snow belongs to Fripside.

* * *

**The snowy white breath, my outstretched hand towards  
****The winter constellation right in front of me  
****The way too far away light shining bright so bright  
****Made me think of you once more**

December 24th. Christmas Eve. It was such an important time of the year, and everyone seemed to have a way of spending their evening. Kido had grudgingly agreed to have Kano go over to hers for dinner, Seto and Marry are probably dining at a fancy restaurant right now, Hibiya had been invited to a luxurious Christmas party by Momo, and even the 18-year-old･no job･DT･hikkiNEET Shintaro was somewhere with Ayano.

Takane walked along the streets, watching the cars roam pass her. She breathed warm air onto her frozen hands and tried to warm them a bit. It was freezing cold, but that should have been expected since it was winter in Japan. She gazed up at the night sky, finding a certain constellation to be shining with a light so bright yet so far away.

Somehow, that bright light made her think of his warm smile.

**We can't meet anymore  
****Even though I know that more than anyone else  
****Not even this snow can conceal my searing pain and love to you**

How much did she want to meet him again, however she can never see his warm smile or hear his voice calling out her name. He will never be at his desk in the morning, smiling gently at her as she enters the classroom, and greeting her with that gentle manner of his. Not anymore.

Christmas Eve. She had hoped the snow that fell would conceal the pain she felt in her heart and such love that had still existed there, but they still remained.

**The snow falling nonstop, borrowing its bright light  
****Maybe I could find the many memories of you  
****The thoughts I buried deep in my mind since that winter day  
****Are awakened by the starlight**

The snow seemed to fall much faster and much more, the white little things dancing in the starlit sky, so similar to that fateful day. The memories of him she had buried deep in her mind that she thought had been long forgotten now resurfaced, awakened by the starlight.

**"This beautiful white scenery,  
****I'll let you see it, it's a promise!"  
****The long-passed days, your beautiful warm smile  
****Had warmed my heart**

_The snow fell fast, and the black haired boy sitting on the hospital bed gazed outside with a smile on his face just like always. The black haired girl siting beside him looked at him, wondering what made him smile so happily._

_"The snow's so beautiful, Takane. It's like the world is covered with whiteness all around. Isn't it great?" he asked, turning to the girl. She smiled. Just being by him made her feel happy._

_"It's beautiful." she replied. _

_"Someday I would want to go outside and see the scenery with Takane..." he murmured. She immediately stood up, startling the boy._

_"Of course! After you're all better, we'll go outside in the snow! This beautiful white scenery, I'll let you see it, it's a promise!" she said, a slight blush showing on her cheeks. The boy's eyes widened and he was surprised for a moment, but then smiled, one of the most happy smiles he had ever shown. _

_"Okay!"_

Takane smiled at the memory. Those long-passed days had been so fun, and she had been happy from the bottom of her heart. True happiness, something she hadn't experienced in a long time.

As she thought of his beautiful warm smile again, she remembered how much it had warmed her heart.

**Walking close beside you  
****In the beautiful snow scenery, just like that day  
****But now that I look back, only my own footsteps exist  
****My voice lost, flying through the clear sky  
****Embracing all my pain and love, and walk forward bravely**

Takane walked forward, her shoes crunching in the snow, just like how she imagined her Christmas with him would be like. But now that she looked back, only her own footsteps exist in the snow. She smiled sadly. Right. He wasn't with her anymore. Unable to speak and her heart aching with pain and love, she continued walking forward bravely.

**The endless snow is still falling  
****Just like the wall separating you and me  
****The cute naive you I remembered comes into view as I shake in the sadness  
****I want to protect it  
****The gentle last smile you gave me  
****Quietly approaching, the fated figure  
****I inadvertently ran to it**

The snow didn't seem like it would stop soon, and so it kept falling endlessly. It seemed just like the barrier that separated him and her. Holding out a hand, she caught a snowflake in her hand, which faded into water right as it settled onto her palm.

_The black haired boy sitting on the hospital bed had a choice to make. The choice would change his life forever. A cure to his sickness was now available. However, the operation had a success rate of 50%. If it succeeded, he would not have to worry about the sickness bothering him ever again. But if it failed, his life would end immediately. He would only be able to live two more years if he didn't choose to accept the operation, and nothing could be done to save him after. His friends sat around his bed, none of them speaking, all of them trapped in their own thoughts. Finally, Shintaro spoke._

_"So.. Are you going to do the operation?" he asked. There was a silence._

_"...What do you think, Takane?" All eyes turned to said black haired girl, who looked at the black haired boy._

_"I..." she looked away. Everybody knew that their relationship was... special._

_"We should be heading home now. Takane-san, if you aren't busy you should stay with Haruka-san. Then, see you tomorrow." said Ayano. The others all stood up and walked away, closing the door behind them. He smiled a cute naive smile at her, but there was a little sadness mixed in as well._

_"I think I'm going to do the operation." he said. Her eyes widened and she looked up at the boy she loved._

_"T-There's only 50% of success... I-I can't risk l-loosing you..." she said, a blush appearing on her cheeks as she says this. He smiled._

_"But... I want to be with Takane forever. If it succeeds, I won't be a bother to you anymore." he said. She looked down. She couldn't stand in the way of his decisions._

_"Hey, Takane, if the operation succeeds, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked suddenly. She whipped up her head immediately at that sentence, her eyes widening with surprise and her blush spreading._

_"I really love Takane. I want to be with you forever. So... Okay?" he asked. She covered her mouth with her hands, unable to believe it. Tears formed in her eyes and she smiled with more happiness she had ever felt._

_"Okay." she answered. His face bloomed into a smile, a smile so happy but so gentle and brave at the same time._

_He kept the same smile on his face as the red light when on above the door, and he was wheeled into the operation room._

_. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ._

_Tick tock, went the clock. Every second felt like an hour. He had been sent inside the operating room a few minutes ago, but it felt like ages already. She paced around outside the room, not able to calm down at all. Her friends were all sitting down on the chairs, either with her head in their hands or trying to look calm._

_Suddenly, the doors opened and everyone rushed at the doctors that walked outside._

_"H-How is Haruka?" asked Takane urgently. There was a silence. The dreaded silence. The head doctor looked her in the eye, and said the dreaded words:_

_"I'm sorry."_

_There was chaos in the group. Kido was cursing unknown words under her breath, turning away from the group and pulling her hoodie over her face._

_"It's okay.. It's going to be okay, Marry..." said Seto, pulling Marry into a hug while they both cried. Kano stood beside them, trying to conceal his real emotions with a smile, but this time the tears couldn't be held back._

_"O-Obasan... Stop crying... I-I'm here..." said Hibiya, putting a hand on Momo's shoulder. She turned around and more tears fell._

_"Hibiya-kun...!" she said, hugging him and crying her heart out. Hibiya returned the hug, visible tears swimming in his eyes._

_"Ayano..." murmured Shintaro, standing beside a crying Ayano._

_"Why... Why does Haruka-san have to die... Why...!" she managed to choke out. Shintaro moved her closer to him, hoping that helped a bit._

_Takane only stood there, unable to believe what had happened. All she could hear was the sounds of tears from her friends and the resounding words from the doctors._

_No... This isn't real... It's all a dream..._

_'Hey, Takane, if the operation succeeds, will you be my girlfriend?'_

_You promised... You promised you would always be with me... You said you'll be with me forever... You promised...!_

_She pushed past the doctors, ignoring all protests from the doctors and her friends and ran inside the operating room. There was only a bed covered with a white bed sheet. Her eyes widened. He was gone. Forever._

She would protect his smile. Forever. No matter what, she'll protect it. Just like how he had always protected and supported her.

Suddenly, as Takane gazed forward, her eyes widened. A black haired boy, wearing a coat and carrying an orange and black sketchbook stood a few meters in front of her. After a few seconds of staring and unbelief, she ran towards it.

The boy immediately disappeared, and she skidded to a stop. Smiling sadly at her foolishness, she told herself it was only an illusion.

**I thought I felt your arms wrap around me in a hug  
****At that moment, the tears fell  
****A fuzzy illusion in the cold sky**

Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her into a hug. Her eyes widening once more, because she knew those pair of arms.

"Haruka...!" she said, looking back. And there he was. The boy she loved, the one who had died three years ago and she thought would never meet again. He smiled at her.

"Takane... Thank you..." he said.

"Haruka... I-I love you!" she choked out. Haruka smiled.

"I know... Thank you. I love you too, Takane." At that moment, the tears she held in finally fell.

"I have to go now. Sorry I can't be by your side now... But I'll always be watching over you. Goodbye... Takane..." Then, he disappeared. His sketch pad fell to the cold ground covered with snow, and she bent to pick it up. She opened it, and found that it was covered and filled with drawings of her. Her when she was angry, her when she was smiling, when she was eating, laughing, listening to music, doing schoolwork... She hugged the sketchbook close to her, and the tears fell again.

"Haruka..."

**Now, the snow falling nonstop, borrowing its bright light  
****Maybe I could find the many memories of you  
****The thoughts I buried deep in my mind since that winter day  
****Are awakened by the starlight**

The snow keeps falling, seeming to fall faster with every second. Her mind filled with the memories of him that were awakened by the starlight, and she smiled. She had been so happy in those faraway days. She couldn't believe she refused to think of him since that winter day three years ago, and that she had buried those memories of those happy days deep in the the back of her mind.

She definitely wouldn't forget him. Not in a million years.

**The snow as light as feathers dance in the sky  
****As if all are tenderly wrapped in warmth  
****But nothing can replace the tangled memories of you  
****And my heart forever engraved with you**

The light snow danced in the sky, and all her surroundings seemed to be tenderly wrapped in warmth. Nothing could ever replace the memories of him, and she turned back the way she came, her heart forever engraved with Kokonose Haruka.

* * *

**皆さん、メリークリスマス！Everyone, merry christmas! Ah, it's this time of the year again, isn't it? Although it isn't snowing where I am right now like in the story, it still feels like Christmas! Those Christmas carols have been playing for who knows how long already, and they're being played so many times I'm almost tired of them. **

**そして... 遥、お誕生日おめでとう！貴音、早くお祝いにしてくださいね！今度こそ、君が言いたい言葉が伝わるのです！Happy birthday, Haruka! **

**Geez, why am I writing a story where Haruka dies on his birthday? I'm the worst, am I not? (dry laughter)**

**When I listened to memory of snow, in my head, I screamed "HARUTAKA! HARUTAKA! HARUTAKA!". So here I am, with my idea! XD**

**See you all, and have a wonderful Christmas!**

**~Chinnie Ai**


End file.
